Lindenberg said it’s hard not to be bitter after his wife Penny’s battle with leukemia ended three weeks ago. The bone marrow donor program matched her with four possible donors. Some of them were identified through drives held to support Shannon Tavarez, a young Broadway actress.

But all four of Lindenberg’s matches said “no” to actual donation, and she died without receiving a bone marrow transplant.

“That was a big concern, that if someone wasn’t going to be able to help the little girl, they might not want to get involved,” Lindenberg said.

Lindenberg said he also fears matches were turned off by bone marrow donation’s reputation for being painful. It used to, but new techniques make it much less so.

Nationwide, 47 percent who are matched as bone marrow donors eventually decide not to donate. A few cite medical concerns, but 15 percent said they’re simply “not interested” in donating any longer.

The national registry said it’s working to better educate potential matches.

“We emphasize and stress the commitment that when they join the registry they are joining for any patient that might need a match,” the registry’s Mary Halet said.

“I want them to know, they’re signing up to help anyone, someone in need,” Lindenberg said.

Lindenberg said he’s going public to spread that message and honor Penny’s memory.

More than 10,000 people were screened in bone marrow drives for Tavarez, but no match for her turned up. She died last week and was buried Monday.

Tony Aiello serves as a CBS 2 general assignment reporter. After spending eight years covering news in the Northern Suburbs, he’s now based at the CBS 2 Broadcast Center in New York City.
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